Chastity: The Choice of Champions

From LifeDate - Spring 2006.

Chastity: The Choice of Champions
by Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb, Executive Director, Lutherans For Life

The box for the “Breakfast of Champions” always showed a picture of a champion. I firmly believe that many of today’s generation of young people are worthy of such distinction. More and more of them are realizing that chastity is the choice of champions.

This is supported by a recent Harris poll which found that a majority of young people see the importance and value of chastity. They are the ones who should know, and they believe chastity works. The poll indicated that 56 percent of those 18 to 24 and 60 percent of people 25 to 29 think abstinence programs reduce the rates of HIV and AIDS. Also, 49 percent of 18 to 24 year-olds and 60 percent of 25 to 29 year-olds say abstinence education programs are effective in reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies.

What is particularly refreshing about these numbers is that chastity is a choice for something rather than against something. Chastity is a positive and proactive choice rather than a negative and reactive choice. Chastity is a positive way champions choose to live life both inside and outside of marriage. Chastity is not just a positive choice of champions who are single. It is the positive choice of champions who are married as well, as they chose to be faithful to their spouses.

Yet, so often our motivation is negative. We say, “Don’t do this because it’s bad. You might get a disease. You might get pregnant. You might destroy your marriage.” But the choice for chastity flows from a positive message. “You don’t have to do these things because God is good.” The choice for chastity flows from whose we are. The choice for chastity flows from the fact that we are champions!

Paul uses championship language when he says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37) NIV. We are champions able to choose chastity because God has chosen us. We are champions because God formed us Himself. “This is what the Lord says—He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid” (Isaiah 44:2) NIV. Our bodies are the work of God’s hands. If you have something handmade, you want to protect it and care for it out of respect and honor for the one who made it. We honor God when we honor our bodies as the work of His hands.

We are champions because God redeemed us. Again some championship language from Paul: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) NIV. Our bodies were purchased with the blood of Jesus. When you are given an expensive gift, you want to protect it and care for it out of respect and honor for the one who purchased it. We honor God when we honor our bodies as His temples cleansed by His blood.

We are champions, then, not because we are good at something but because God has been good to us. He has created us and redeemed us. His Spirit lives within us. We have the best, most positive motivation in the world for making God-pleasing decisions. Thanks be to God we are champions! Chastity is the choice of champions.

I have great confidence in the younger generation. They may not have their pictures on cereal boxes, but they are champions none the less. They are champions because of what God has done. Many are recognizing that and are making good decisions based on that. As I strive to encourage young people, I am in turn encouraged by them. We all should be. They are champions!